Speaker with monitor mountable stand

ABSTRACT

A speaker system with a mount pivotally secured to a speaker frame for detachably securing the speaker system to a display monitor is disclosed. The mount pivots relative to the frame so as to allow the display monitor to be operably received between the mount and frame thereby holding the speaker system in place. A securing structure is preferably provided to hold the mount at a desired position, and resilient padding is preferably provided between the frame, mount and display monitor. The mount can also have a substantially planar bottom surface which allows the speaker system to rest on a desktop simply by positioning the substantially planar bottom surface of the mount on the desktop.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent applicationSer. No. 60/790,047, filed on Apr. 7, 2006.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a detachable speaker for use primarilywith a flat panel monitor and the like. In particular, the speaker has astand that will allow the speaker to either rest on a substantially flatsurface or be detachably secured to the monitor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The use of broadband loudspeaker systems with personal computers isgaining popularity. For example, high fidelity sound is desirable withmany multimedia computer applications, such as presentations, games, DVDmovies and the like. Moreover, as the applications for using a personalcomputer expand, the need for high fidelity sound with theseapplications will also increase.

The typical personal computer rests on a desk, where available space isat a premium. Accordingly, it is desirable for desktop computercomponents to occupy the smallest foot-print possible withoutcompromising computer operation. For example, traditional box-likeCathode Ray Tube (“CRT”) computer monitors are being replaced withthinner flat-panel monitors.

It is desirable for the footprint of desktop positioned audio componentsto be similarly minimized. However, as the fidelity of such speakersystems increases, the overall size of each speaker also tends toincrease.

To date, efforts to optimize speaker system fidelity while minimizingthe overall desk space occupied for such speakers have had some success.For example, larger audio components, such as sub-woofers and the like,are typically positioned on the floor, with only smaller high frequencysatellite speakers resting on the computer desk. More recently, thesesatellite speakers have included adjustable stands that allow a user toether rest the speaker on the desk, or mount the speaker to a wall orthe like, usually through mounting holes in the stand.

Some manufacturer's of flat panel monitors build speaker systems intothe monitors themselves. However, as speaker technology improves and/oras these internally-mounted speakers deteriorate or fail, they cannot beeasily replaced without replacing the entire flat panel monitor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, despite the available desktop computer and the like speakersystems, there remains a need for a speaker system that is notnecessarily integral with the monitor, but that maximizes the availabledesk space to a user. In addition to other benefits that will becomeapparent in the following disclosure, the present invention fulfillsthese needs.

A speaker system with a mount pivotally secured to a speaker frame isdisclosed. The mount pivots relative to the frame so as to allow an edgeof a display monitor to be operably received between the mount and framethereby holding the speaker system in place on the display monitor. In adisclosed embodiment, a securing structure is disclosed to hold themount at a desired position, and resilient padding is provided betweenthe frame, mount and display monitor.

If desired, the mount can also have a substantially planar bottomsurface to allow the speaker system to rest on a desktop simply bypositioning the substantially planar bottom surface of the mount on thedesktop of the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a rear, left, perspective view of a speaker with a flat panelmonitor mounting stand showing a possible orientation on a flat panelmonitor in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a left, side view of the speaker with stand of FIG. 1. Theright, side view being a mirror image thereof.

FIG. 3 is a front, left isometric view of the speaker with a flat panelmonitor mounting stand, showing a possible position of the speakerresting on a substantially horizontal surface.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the speaker with stand of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A speaker system 10 having a mount 12 for detachably securing a speaker14 to a flat panel monitor 16 or the like is disclosed in FIGS. 1-4.

Referring to FIG. 3, the speaker system 10 has a speaker frame 20 thatis preferably housing speaker components, such as driver(s), controlcircuitry, connectivity circuitry, power source and the like, therebydefining the speaker.

The mount 12 is pivotally secured to the speaker frame 20 at pivot A andhas a base portion 30 with a substantially planar bottom surface 32 anda leading edge 34, preferably spaced apart from Pivot A. A monitorengaging lip 36 is spaced apart from pivot A and extends from thespeaker frame 20 toward the base portion 30. The leading edge 34 of thebase portion 30 moves toward and away from the engaging lip 36 aboutarrows B (FIG. 2) as the mount 12 is pivoted about pivot A.

Preferably, resilient monitor engaging pads 40 are provided on theinside surface 42 of the lip 36 and on the upper portion 44 of theleading edge 34 of the base portion 30. More preferably, the upperportion 44 of the leading edge 34 of the base portion 30 is also beveledrelative to the bottom surface 32 of the base portion 30 so as to allowthe upper portion 44 to operably engage the back surface 50 of the flatpanel monitor 16 as shown in FIG. 2 with the inside surface 42 of themonitor engaging lip 36.

Preferably, a securing structure 60 holds the base portion 30 at apredetermined position relative to the lip 36 about Pivot A. In onepreferred embodiment, the securing structure 60 is a conventionalthreaded bolt and nut assembly 60′. A user selects the desired positionof the base portion 30 relative to the lip 36 and tightens the nut tothe bolt. The bolt and/or nut can include thumb hold portions forallowing hand tightening and loosening of the bolt/nut as needed.

Alternatively, a biasing member (not shown) can urge the leading edge 34of the base portion 30 toward the lip 36 to define a neutral position. Auser then moves the base portion about pivot A away from the lip toposition the monitor 16 therebetween. Releasing the base portion 30urges the base portion 30 to return to its neutral position, therebyallowing the mount to clamp about the monitor 16 as shown in FIG. 2.

Preferably, resilient pads 70 are provided on the bottom surface 32 ofthe base portion 30 to prevent the speaker from sliding when placed on asubstantially flat surface 80 as best shown in FIG. 3. If desired,mounting holes 82 can also extend through the base portion, preferablysubstantially perpendicular to the bottom surface 32. The holes 82 canbe used to secure the speaker to a wall or the like.

It can be appreciated that the mount 12 for the speaker system 10 can bepositioned so as to either hold the speaker 20 on a substantially planarsurface, such as a desk or the like, as shown in FIG. 3, or used asshown in FIG. 2 to detachably hold the speaker 20 up of the desk bydetachably securing the speaker 20 to the upper edge of a flat panelmonitor or the like.

Having described and illustrated the principles of our invention withreference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be apparent thatthe invention can be modified in arrangement and detail withoutdeparting from such principles. In view of the many possible embodimentsto which the principles may be put, it should be recognized that thedetailed embodiment is illustrative only and should not be taken aslimiting the scope of our invention. Accordingly, we claim as ourinvention all such modifications as may come within the scope and spiritof the following claims and equivalents thereto.

1. A speaker system for detachably securing a speaker to a displaymonitor comprising: a speaker for housing speaker components therein,wherein the speaker for housing speaker components therein has a bottomportion with a front end and a back end; a mount pivotally secured to aback end corner of the bottom portion of the speaker for housing speakercomponents therein, defining a pivot, wherein said mount has a baseportion with a substantially planar bottom surface and a surface forengaging the display monitor; a display monitor engaging lip operablyextending from the front end of the bottom portion of the speaker forhousing speaker components therein and spaced apart from said pivot suchthat said display monitor is positionable between said mount and saidlip thereby detachably securing said speaker system to the displaymonitor; and wherein the surface for engaging the display monitor of thebase portion is movable toward and away from the lip as the mount ispivoted around the pivot and wherein the surface for engaging thedisplay monitor operably engages said display monitor when said speakersystem is detachably secured to said display monitor.
 2. The speakersystem for detachably securing a speaker to a display monitor of claim1, further including a securing structure for operably holding saidmount against the computer monitor.
 3. The speaker system for detachablysecuring a speaker to a display monitor of claim 2, wherein saidsecuring structure is a conventional nut and bolt operably extendingthrough said pivot.
 4. The speaker system for detachably securing aspeaker to a display monitor of claim 1, further including a resilientengaging pad operably secured between said lip and said display monitor.5. The speaker system for detachably securing a speaker to a displaymonitor of claim 1, wherein said substantially planar bottom surfaceallows the speaker system to be positionable on a table by resting saidsubstantially planar bottom surface of said mount on the table.
 6. Thespeaker system for detachably securing a speaker to a display monitor ofclaim 1, further wherein said mount has at least one through holeoperably extending therethrough.
 7. The speaker system for detachablysecuring a speaker to a display monitor of claim 1, wherein the surfacefor engaging the display monitor comprises a leading edge and wherein aportion of said leading edge is beveled.
 8. The speaker system fordetachably securing a speaker to a display monitor of claim 7, furtherincluding a resilient pad operably secured to said portion of saidleading edge.
 9. The speaker system for detachably securing a speaker toa display monitor of claim 1, wherein said display monitor is a flatpanel display monitor.
 10. The speaker system for detachably securing aspeaker to a display monitor of claim 1, wherein the speaker for housingspeaker components therein is configured to rest on the display monitor.11. The speaker system for detachably securing a speaker to a displaymonitor of claim 1, wherein the speaker components include at least onedriver, control circuitry, connectivity circuitry, and a power source.